Editorial
TIB's findings
Plug the holes in relief operations
MEDIA, both electronic and print, have on and off highlighted the shortcomings of the relief efforts. The focus has been on lack of coordination, relief material not reaching the needy, particularly in remoter inaccessible areas, UP chairmen and members being accused of distributing these to their favourites.
Now comes the TIB observation report laying bare in greater detail the incidence of corruption, nepotism and other forms of mismanagement. Among their findings, seem to be the most scurrilous embezzlement of relief material by local public representatives, misappropriation by fake outfits and relief medicines finding their way to drug stores. An unholy nexus between government officials and public representatives is behind derailing the relief operations.
The government seems to be aware of the malpractice as a number of public representatives of union parishads and a few government officials were arrested on charges of corruption, especially misappropriation of relief goods. The corrective approach is a matter of being effective and this can be ensured only through the response being equal to the degree of corruption and mismanagement.
There are many players and stages involved in relief operations and it is the government agencies and the NGOs that must ensure transparency and accountability in their conduct. The coordinating committees that are in place to supervise the overall operations must demand compliance with accountability standards.
The TIB suspects that vested interests including political ones are at play in selection of affected areas and beneficiaries for relief at the local level. Their report observed, "Relief being manipulated as vote banks by the local government representatives". Why during a non-party interim government's rule, vested interests would get such free rein, is a question that is bound to arise.
Let's not forget that huge quantum of money and materials are being funnelled from all directions into the Sidr affected areas. The greedy people may be up to exploiting the situation; the government must beware of them. The rehabilitation phase entailing huge amounts of cash and kind is about to begin requiring the government to be extra cautious in the use of resources.
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